Mixing apparatus for soda-fountains



a sugars-sun Patented J 11 10 15, 1920.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1929.

Nah Z GHQ-Lu u D. S. KEPLER.

MIXING APPARATUS FOR SODA rounnms;

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I0, 1920.

Patented June 15, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- gwmm fitter "11 D. S. KEPLER.

MIXING APPARATUS FOR SODA FOUNTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1.0., 192p.

Patented J 11116 15, 1920.

3 SHEETS-.SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DARRELL S. KEPLER, OF .CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO HARRY A. WOODWORTH, OFSEDALIA, MISSOURI.

MIXING APPARATUS FOR SODA-FOUNTAIINS.

'Speification of Letters Patent Patented June 15, 1920.

Application filed January 10, 1920. Serial No. 350,569.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DARRELL S. KEPLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crawfordsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mixing Apparatus for Soda-Fountains; and I do'hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. s

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mixing devices for soda water fountains, and the basic object is to provide a novel construction whereby a plurality of stirrers or inlxers may be operated successively, selectively, or simultaneously.

The invention in its preferred form is graphically illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application.

Briefly described Figure 1 is aside elevation of the apparatus, certain parts being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a'horizontal'sectional. view on the line 2-2, Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3- 3, Fig. 1, and

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary detail views of parts of the apparatus.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, 1

.designates a base supporting a suitable frame, hereln shown as comprislng front uprights 2, 2, connected at their top by a crossbar 3, by an intermediate cross-bar 4, and toward their lower ends by a bottom cross-bar 5. In the rear of and of lesser length than the upright 2 is an upright 6 having at its top a forward-extending horizontal extension 7 secured to the upright 2.

Connecting the extensions 7, 7, are two bars 10, 10.

Secured to the lower cross-bar 5 is a series of equi-distantly spaced clips 8 of spring metal constituting holders for drinking glasses or tumblers 9.

Rotatably journaled in the bars 10, 10, are revoluble shafts 11, 11, any suitable number of which may be employed, in this instance four being shown.

Carried at the forward end of each shaft 11 is a friction disk or wheel 12, and at the opposite end a sprocket wheel 13, from which and over the multiple pulley14' on the shaft 14 of an electric motor 15, suitably supported upon the top of the frame, passes a sprocket chain 16.

Connecting the frame bars 3, 4, are pairs of vertical guide rods 17, 17. On each pair of guide rods slides a carriage of any suitable form, herein shown as consisting of horizontal bars 1.8, 18, through which the guide rods 17, 17 loosely pass, said bars 18. 18, being spaced apart byposts 19, 19.

Supportedin each pair of carriage bars 18, 18, and longitudinally, slidably, and rotatably supported'in the frame bar 4 is a vertical stirrer shaft 20, carrying at its lower end paddles 21. Rigidly carried by the upper end of each shaft 20 is a friction pinion 22, adapted, when the carriage is moved from its uppermost to its lowermost position, to contact with and be driven by the friction disk 12. V

Pivoted at its sides to each top cross-bar 18, as shown at 23, 23, is ayoke 24 carrying at its rear a rearwardly projecting arm 25, fulcrumed at 26 on the upper end of a rock able or tiltable bracket comprising the two arms 27, 27, pivoted at their ends as shown at 28, 28, to the terminals of a bar 29, supported upon the upper surface of the frame bar 4. V

A retractile spring 30, connected at its respective ends to the rear end of the arm 25 and to the base 1, normally maintains the arm 25 tilted with the carriage 18, 18, and

- the stirrer shaft 20 in elevated position.

.33, and has at its upper end a hook 34 having a cam edge 35 in the path of movement of a pin 36, carried by the lower carriage crossbar 18,. (see more particularly Fig. 7).

As the carriage descends, the pin 36 strikes the cam edge 35 and tilts the latch to the right (see Fig.7), and as soon as the pin rides off the lower edge-of said cam edge, the latch tilts by gravity in the reverse direction, so that the pin rests under the beak of said latch, as shown in Fig. 7, thereby looking the carriage against upward movement. each latch is provided with a pendent eX- tension 37, constituting a finger-piece which may be grasped by the operator in releasing the latch from engagement with the pin 86, when it is desired to return the carriage to normal or elevated position.

Supported by each upper carriage crossbar 18 is a vertical rod 38 adapted, when the carriage is in -elevated position to project through a suitable opening in the frame cross-bar 3 and contact with and elevate a switch arm 39 of spring material secured, as at 40, to the upper surface of the frame cross-bar 3. The wedge-shaped end. ll of the switch bar 39, when the latter is in lowered position, is adapted to bridge the space between electric terminals a2, 42, of an electric circuit, including the motor 15.

As stated, in the normal y elevated position of the carriages 18, 18, which slide on the guide rods 17, 17 (see Fig. 1), the rods 38, by their engagement with the spring switch arms 39, lift the same so as to break the circuit, but as soon as a rarriage is lowered, the spring switch arm moves toward the frame bar 3 to engage the terminals 42, 42, and thus close the circuit and start the motor 15.

In operation, assuming all of said carriages 18 to be in elevated position, and it being desired to mix a drink in one of the tumblers 9, the operator grasps the fingerpiece 31 and tilts the yoke 24; downward, which lowers the carriage 1S, on the guide rods 17, 17, and withdraws the rod 38 from engagement with its spring switch arm 3-), the latter thereupon "moving toward. the frame bar 3, to cause its wedge end. 4-1 to contact with the electric terminals 422, thereby closing the electric circuit to the motor The friction wheel or disk 12- will now be rotated by reason of its bet connection with the multiple pulley of the motor shaft 14 As the carriage lowered the friction pinion 22 is brought into contact with the retating friction disk 12 and is consequently driven thereby, causing the stirrer shaft 20 to revolve.

I claim:

1. A mixing apparatus for soda fountains, etc., comprising a series of vertically movable carriages, a stirrer shaft revolubly sup ported by each carriage, a yoke pivotally sccured to each carriage, a rearward project ing arm carried by each yoke, a tiltable support to which said arm is fulerumed, a for ward projecting linger piece carried by each yoke, means for normally holding each of said yokes tilted downward and rearward with. the carriage and stirrer shaft in elevated position, and means automatically operable upon the lowering of any one of said carriages to cause rotation of the stirrer shaft carried thereby.

2. A mixing apparatus for soda fountains, etc., comprising a series of verticallv movable carriages, a stirrer shaft revolubly supported by each carriage, a yoke pivotal] y secured to each carriage, a rearward projecting arm carried by each yoke, a tiltable support to which said arm is fulcrumed, a forward projecting finger piece carried by each yoke, means for normally holding each of said yokes tilted downward and rearward with the carriage and. stirrer shaft in ele vated position, and electrically-controlled means automatically operable upon the low-- ering of any one of said carriages to cause rotation of the stirrer shaft carried thereby.

A mixing apparatus for soda fountains, etc, comprising a series of vertically HHHAlJlG carriages, a stirrer shaft revolubly supported by each carriage, a yoke pivotally secured to each carriage, a rearward projecting arm carried by each yoke, a tiltable sup port to which said arm is fulcrun'ied, a forward projecting linger-piece carried by each yoke, tension elements secured to the free ends of said rearward projecting arms for normally holding said yokes tilted downward and rearward with the carriages in elevated position, and means automatically operable upon the lowering of any one of said carriages to cause rotation of the stirrer shaft carried thereby.

In testimony whereof I hereunto a'liir; my signature.

DARRELL S. KEPLER. 

